Run stop construction for stockings



J. A. GOODMAN RUN STOP CONSTRUCTION FOR STOCKINGS Filed April 11, 1932 Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,981,315 RUN STOP CONSTRUCTION FOR STOCKINGS Jacob A. Goodman, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application April 11, 1932, Serial No. 604,576

2 Claims.

' 5 The invention has particular application to stockings and is especially useful at the ends of the foot portion, or toe and heel, where the stocking is subject to the greatest frictional contact with a shoe.

It is found that in the toe of the stocking, holes are caused and this is especially due to the toenail wearing against the knitted fabric. Also, at the rear of the stocking in the heel or high splice wear against the shoe counter frequently Y results in holes. These holes in the toe and in the heel spread due to the factthat one of the inherent qualities of knitted fabric is that it is susceptible to running. For this reason the stocking is reinforced by the process of incorporating additional or reinforcing yarn into those portions of the stocking duringthe knitting process. The wear at these vulnerable points, especially at the toe and heel, however, is found to be so great that in spite of the reinforcement, holes are frequently caused long before the rest of the stocking has had any appreciable amount of wear. Thus, the stocking must be. thrown away long before its usefulness has expired. In addition when holes appear in this reinforced 30 portion runs are apt to extend throughout the reinforced portion and into the leg of the stocking. Thus, the leg of the stocking is ruined before its yarns have given their full service.

The invention involves the production of a plurality of ravel stop lines which extend transversely of the wales of the fabric. I position these lines at intervals throughout that portion of the fabric which is subjected to wear or in predetermined portions of the stocking which receive the greatest amount of wear. For example, I position these lines across the top of the toe or at the back of the heel or in both positions or in any other portion of the stocking which is subjected to an excessive amount of wear and for this reason may be caused to run. I position theselines of ravel stops at frequently recurrent intervals to prevent raveling of the stocking fabric for any appreciable distance.

By the use of my invention it may be possible to eliminate reinforcing of the fabric with additional yarn. However, it is preferred to use a ravel stop in addition to reinforcement and with this end in view the reinforcement may be as heavy as is usual or may be lighter. Reinforcement to a degree prevents holes from forming, and

my invention is particularly applicable to fine stockings where the danger of injury to the fabric is always great. My invention anticipates that holes might be formed, but prevents raveling due tothese holes to an extent great enough to make the stocking unwearable.

I prefer to use sewing stitches such as are usually produced on a looping machine. In the preferred embodiment these looping or sewing stitches are caused to pass through a loop in each needlewale or in eachsinker wale or in'both of each needle or sinker Wale within the area to be protected against wearing. In my co-pending application, Serial No. 590,254, filed February 1, 1932, patented April 17, 1934, No. 1,955,364, I have disclosed a specific looping sewing stitch and I prefer to resort to that specific stitch in carrying out this invention. .As in the co-pending application in the preferred embodiment the lines of sewing stitches pass through each needle or sinkerloop in a-knitted course or through each needle loop in one course and each sinker loop in another course. Thus, any holes started between two ravel stop lines will be prevented from running beyond the ravel stop line on either side of it. As in the co-pending application, I use a loose sewing stitch so that there will be no bunching. Thus, my ravel stop lines are soft and elastic and add little bulk to the fabric.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the foot portion of a circular knit stocking embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views showing the ravel stop stitch and the manner in which it interlocks with the knitted fabric;

Fig. 4 shows my invention as applied to a full fashioned foot. y

In Fig. 1 I show a conventional circular knit stocking having a leg portion 2 and a foot portion 3. Included inthe foot portion is the usual toe pocket 4-and the heel'pocket 5. Extending toward the toe from the heel is the usual sole portion 6 and extending from the heel upwardly into the leg is the usual high splice 7. As is conventional the high splice, heel, sole and toe are knitted of a yarn heavier than the leg portion 2 and the instep 11. This stocking also embodies the usual ring toe 8 which meets the instep as at 10 and extends to the looping 9 which conventionally closes the toe.

As previously stated, these portions-the toe 4, ring toe 8, sole 6, heel 5, and high splice 7- may be reinforced to the same degree as is normal or the reinforcing yarn can be lighter than is normal. However, this is not necessary within the scope of my invention. As shown in Fig. 1, I superimpose in the toe portion and across the back of the heel portion a plurality of sewing lines 14. These ravel stop lines may, as shown, follow courses and lie parallel to each other, but in any event, they traverse the wales within the area to be protected.

These ravel stop lines can be spaced any distance apart as desired. I prefer to space them about a half inch apart through the area of the top of the toe. Within the scope of my invention, I can extend them around to the bottom of the toe, and as shown at 14' they may extend from the ring toe around to the sole portion.

The important thing is that they are positioned in areas which are subjected to wear at intervals,

which will prevent an appreciable amount of spreading of any hole which might form between ravel stop lines.

It is preferred to use a looping sewing stitch for my ravel stop. I have found that the specific stitch disclosed in my co-pending application, above referred to, suits the needs of this invention nicely. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the sewing stitches are superimposed upon knitted fabric. This stitch, as is clearly shown, constitutes the usual double chain stitch made up of needle thread 20 and interlooping thread 21. In it the needle thread passes through a loop or mesh of each needle wale as at 22 and a loop or mesh of eachsinker wale as at 23. The knitted needle and sinker loops through which the sewing stitches pass may be in respectively common courses 24 and 25, and in this event in the knitting operation it is preferred to make these courses of especially long stitches as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The manner in which stitches are lengthened is well understood in the knitting art and needs no further explanation here. The interlooping yarn 21 of the sewing stitches may be caused to appear on either the wale side, as in Fig. 2, or on the course side of the fabric, as in Fig. 3. For example, in the toe the interlooping yarn can be placed on the wale side of-the fabric where it is less likely to interfere with the toe-nail of the wearer. In the heel and especially in the high splice, the interlooping thread 21 may be placed on the course side of the fabric where it is inconspicuous and therefore will not appear prominently above the shoe counter. The placing of the interlooping yarn on the wale side or course side is merely a matter of preference to satisfy the particular needs.

In the preferred embodiment the-needle and. interlooping yarn of the sewing stitches are sewed with slight or practically no tension. Thus, the sewing stitches will be loose and will lie flat on the knitted fabric. The resultant ravel stop will be soft and add little bulk to the knitted fabric. It will further be as elastic as the knitted fabric, which itself will lie flat. There is no danger of irritation to the human foot.

In Fig. 4 I show my invention as applied to a full fashioned foot. This stocking contains a leg 2', a foot 3, a toe 4,a heel 5' and the sole 6". As in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the preferred embodiment of the full fashioned foot also uses sewed looping which follows courses at predetermined intervals. Thus, lines of looping 14 may extend across the top of the toe 4' or around to the sole as at 14.. They may also extend across any other area subjected to wear. structurally, the looping as to tension and stitch structure can be the same as in the embodiment of Fig. l, and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be seen by the exercise of my invention those portions of the stocking which are subjected to wear will not only be guarded against such wear, but also will beguarded against raveling emanating from holes caused by wear. The stocking made in accordance with my invention will give the user much more service at little added cost.

What I claim is:

1. A stocking having a foot portion of plain knit fabric, and including a reinforcing construction at at least one end thereof where the stocking is subject to greatest wear by a shoe comprising a multiplicity of course-wise-extending protecting lines of stitches constituted of independent thread traversing the knitted fabric wales at spaced frequently recurrent intervals, each line of stitching engaging and interlocking .with fabric needle loops and sinker loops in every wale traversed to prevent the passing of runs from either direction, the multiplicity of lines of stitches being spaced only a short distance one from the next so as to leave only narrow bands of unprotected fabric therebetween and prevent holes and runs resulting from wear in the unprotected fabric from enlarging to a sizesuch as to render the stocking unwearable, the stitches in the protecting lines lying flat against and engaging the stocking loops without distortion and permitting the fabric to lie flat and unbunched thus to prevent any material increase in thickness of the stocking at the lines and avoid ridges irritating to the foot. I

2. A stocking having a reinforced toe portion of plain knit fabric, and including a toe-protecting construction comprising a multiplicity of coursewise-extending lines of stitches constituted of independent thread traversing the knitted wales of the toe at spaced recurrent intervals, each line of stitching engaging and locking'with fabric needle loops and sinker loops in every wale traversed to prevent the passing of runs from either direction, the multiplicity of lines of stitches being spaced only a short distance apart so as to leave only narrow bands of unprotected toe fabric between each two adjacent lines and prevent material enlargement of holes and runs resulting from wear in the toe, the stitches in the protecting lines being sufficiently loosely formed to engage the stocking loops without distortion and avoiding bunching in the toe fabric at the lines likely to irritate the foot under pressure of a shoe. 

